Author Archives: OkieMan

We need to stop making more cars.

  The year of the embargo. The price per gallon went from 29-cents to 59-cents almost overnight.  The year was 1973 and we were living in Hawaii.  Our favorite place to fill up our 1963 Plymouth Valiant with regular gasoline was at the Penny automotive center just down the street and above Peral harbor.  BackContinue reading “We need to stop making more cars.”

Well then, just zip me up.

  In this age of downsizing. There is the practice of shrinkflation.  Reducing the size of a product by size or weight and selling the product at the same price as its previous size or weight.  Soft drinks are coming in smaller cans but at the old price.  Sometimes with a price increase. But hereContinue reading “Well then, just zip me up.”

A one word vocabulary.

  Awesome. Pardon my sarcastic judgement but I am often amused when eating out at some restaurants.  It is almost entertaining when some female waitperson serve our table.  It seems like most female servers wait on our table they speak with a little girl tone, I would guess, a full octave above their normal speakingContinue reading “A one word vocabulary.”

Boy were they happy.

  Flying the boys home. November 1973 Sheba our three-year-old daughter and myself were flying on what they called a MAC flight from Honolulu.  The flight, on a PanAm 747 was mostly loaded with US Marines coming back from Vietnam.  A joyous flight for sure. To back up, Sheba was back then an employee ofContinue reading “Boy were they happy.”

Question: Who is tapping me on my leg?

  I swear, I’m telling the truth. I don’t know if this is poltergeist or spooky phenomena or what.  But almost always it happens when I’m taking a brief afternoon nap.  It could be a guilt response or something like that.  But I swear it happens.  I will be dozing and almost into dreamland andContinue reading “Question: Who is tapping me on my leg?”

Oh Christmas tree. How do we put you away?

  There’s got to be a better way.  As of this date, Christmas tree is still up and plugged in.  At thanksgiving Sheba is more than willing to haul down the attic the half dozen boxes to erect and decorate a tree.  However, when it comes time to dismantle and put the tree and itsContinue reading “Oh Christmas tree. How do we put you away?”

Oh nuts with a White Christmas.

  I’m dreaming of a somewhat hazy Christmas. Just like the ones I use to know.  Just like in my little village of Los Angeles.  Busy with people and cars honking, crowded shopping malls, difficulty finding a parking space, and a red-kettled bell ringer at every mall entrance.  Not to mention a light shroud ofContinue reading “Oh nuts with a White Christmas.”

I’ll watch the bag. You go pee.

  After celebrating Christmas with the In-laws on the mainland. Wife and I were sitting in the waiting area at the San Francisco airport or SFO.  Waiting on our plane to depart going back to Honolulu to our island home.  Then a distinguished swarthy looking middle eastern man in a nice gray tailored suit andContinue reading “I’ll watch the bag. You go pee.”

Twas the night before Christmas

  The night before Christmas and peeking out the back window shade. It must had been about 10-O-clock and I was peeking out the back bedroom window.  What I saw was most encouraging.  I saw my dad carrying into the back door a brand-new blue Schwinn 3-speed racer bicycle.  I thought to myself, hot diggitydog! Continue reading “Twas the night before Christmas”